The Little Old Lady Strikes Back

by Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg, Rod Bradbury (Translator)

Martha and the infamous League of Pensioners are back in The Little Old Lady Strikes Back, from the author of the smash-hit The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules.

After stealing some priceless Russian jewels from the Stockholm Auction House, Martha and her gang flee to the small village of Hemmavid to lie low. But what they find is a village in crisis, so they decide they want to help revive the place.

But to do so, the village needs money. In steps the League of Pensioners to arrange events to attract paying tourists. Which all turns out to be a rather delicate – and dramatic – balancing act when you are wanted by the police. Even when the school is about to be closed, they step up to put on classes in technology, seamanship and entrepreneurship so that the students can start companies and create new jobs and hopefully a future.

Having donned the mantle of guerrilla fighters come to save Sweden’s countryside from depopulation, will they be able to help the villagers get the attention of the politicians to save the village without being caught?

Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg’s socially engaged, riotous comedy is perfect for fans of The Hundred-Year-Old Man Series and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Translated by Rod Bradbury.

Genres: Fiction

404 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 5, 2023

About the author

Catharina Ingelman-Sundbergs böcker har sålt i över 400 000 exemplar. 1999 belönades hon med Widdingpriset som årets författare av historiska romaner och populärhistoria i Sverige. Hennes böcker är hittills sålda till 14 länder.

Catharina ägnade femton år av sitt liv att som arkeolog söka efter vår historia på havets botten runt om i världen. Denna tid har hon skildrat i boken Bland hajar, karlar och vrak. I Norge har hon bland annat deltagit i utgrävningen av fregatten Lossen och har även varit anställd vid Norsk sjöfartsmuseum.

Som marinarkeolog dök hon på allt från vikingaskepp och ostindiefarare till slavskepp och försvarsspärrar utanför vikingastaden Birka i Mälaren.

Hon var även anställd vid Western Australian Museum i Perth där hon ledde arbetet med att bärga och utforska den holländska ostindiefararen "Zeewijk" från 1727. Om detta kan man läsa i den sjöhistoriska romanen Kampen mot bränningarna, klassad som en av de bästa sjöromanerna som skrivits på svenska.

Efter några år som marinarkeolog i Australien återvände hon till Sverige där hon arbetade flera år vid Malmö sjöfartsmusem och bärgade det vikingatida Fotevikskeppet utanför Skåne.

Därefter utbildade sig Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg till journalist vid Journalisthögskolan i Göteborg parallelt med att bokskrivandet kom igång. Förutom Kampen mot bränningarna och romantriologin Vikingablot, Vikingasilver och Vikingaguld har Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg även gett ut populärvetenskapliga faktaböcker, bl.a Boken om vikingarna och underhållningslitteratur som Tantlexikon.

Vikingaromanerna skildrar vad som hände när missionären Ansgar kom till Skandinavien för att kristna hedningarna, om vikingarnas härtåg i västerled och österled och om den starka vikingakvinnan. Böckerna har publicerats i flera länder.

Hon har även skrivit om vikingafurstinnan Ingegerd i romanen Mäktig mans kvinna och tre böcker från medeltiden. I romanerna Brännmärkt, Förföljd och Befriad berättar hon bland annat om Östersjöns sjörövare vitaliebröderna, den tyska Hansan och drottning Margareta. I Tempelbranden berättar hon om när Sverige kristnades och förstörelsen av Uppsalatemplet.

Idag delar Catharina Ingelman-Sundberg sin tid mellan det egna författandet och arbetet som frilansjournalist.

Snabbfakta om Catharina:
Utbildning:
* Adolf Fredrik musikgymnasium, student 1967
* Fil. kand i Historia, Konsthistoria och Nordisk och jämförande folklivsforskning 1970, Uppsala universitet. Därtill betyg i arkeologi och nordiska språk.
* Svenska sportdykarförbundets 1:a klassbrev 1971
* Skepparexamen 1981
* Journalistexamen 1986

Anställningar:
Dykinstruktör, AB Dyksport, Uppsala
Marinarkeolog och amanuens på Statens sjöhistoriska museum och Oslo Sjöfartsmuseum, Marinarkeolog och museiintendent på Western Australian museum, Perth och Malmö sjöfartsmuseum
Journalist på GT, Göteborgsposten, SVT Västnytt i Göteborg och Svenska Dagbladet, Stockholm.

Böcker:
Marinarkeologi, dykaren, arkeologen fynden, 1985
Kampen mot bränningarna, 1991
Den svarta ejderungen (illustrationer S. Hellmark), 1991
Bland hajar, karlar och vrak, 1995
Vikingablot, 1995
Vikingasilver, 1997
Vikingaguld, 1999
Boken om vikingarna, 1998
Stockholms dolda museer, 2000
Mäktig mans kvinna, om vikingafurstinnan Ingegerd, 2001
Forntida kvinnor, 2004
Tantlexikon, 2004
Brännmärkt, 2006
Förföljd, 2007
Befriad, 2009
Tempelbranden, 2010
Kaffe med Rån, 2012

Reviews

[Carolyn Walsh · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I recall finishing at least one book in the series, but it did not appeal to me. This involves the same group of senior citizens engaged in a daring robbery of precious jewels, but I failed to be amused. I was not sure whether I was supposed to laugh with them or at them. As I am in their age range, I expected to enjoy the humour, but I found the book overly long and tedious. I read two books about older people involved in criminal activities this year and enjoyed them. 'The Sunset Years' of Agnes Sharp' centred on a group of quirky elderly people covering up one murder while trying to solve another. 'Mrs Planksy's Revenge' was hiding a crime against her and going to great lengths to get revenge.
I think many will enjoy this book. It just wasn't for me. The publication date is December 5.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Read" through Libby audible -- well read and fun. Another great story about these "oldies" in this series. Very resourceful and helpful to others as they seek to avert the law and play "Robin Hood"with their various "winnings" and redistribute money to causes and places who need it. This time it is the under-served and undersupported countryside areas and their plan which includes "kidnapping and convincing" the lawmakeres to help the dying/languishing countryside communiies. Very clever ending while presenting "real issues" for villiages who lack the govermental and basic resources to keep them functioning. As always, "Martha" devises clever (and FUN) plans to "save the day" and help many deserving people along the way utilizing the skills and talents of her "Pensioners." Fun and worth reading while pointing out common issues in most countries everywhere.

Another reviewer writes: "This story follows Martha and her pensioner friends, nicknamed The League Of Pensioners. They are professional thieves who up to this point have not been caught!! There is a certain policeman Kurt Lowander, who is desperate to catch them and have the fame and promotion that this may give him!. He certainly forces the issue whenever he can, to get more money from the budget to have more officers etc on the job!!
After a successful jewellery operation, they decide to leave where they are currently residing to move to the country, After falling in love with the area, Martha starts planning how they can help this struggling village the only way they know how!!! Meanwhile, Lowander is hot on their tails!!!
An enjoyable read! This is part of a series, but is easy to follow."

[Ruth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read the previous adventures of this gang, but it's easy enough to slip into the story. I do wonder if I would have got more from the book if I already knew who all the characters were? This is an easy to read cosy crime story, where the pensioners are carrying out crimes for the good of the community. There were some parts I really liked - when they're stopping heavy goods traffic, and some of the horse-related parts for example. But other aspects fell a little short. I wasn't sure how I felt about Martha, the ringleader - she's so very bossy, and she doesn't seem to treat her fiance, or her friends, terribly well in this particular story. Some of their activities felt rather outlandish, though perhaps they're meant to? The book ran a little too long, and the ending felt slightly odd and not quite resolved..

I wonder what the original version is like - the translation felt somewhat stilted to me, but perhaps just reflected the style of the original story. It doesn't have the finesse of Osmond, but the idea behind it is very fun and it's an accessible, light read so I'm sure many will really enjoy it.

With thanks to Net Galley for my copy.

[Grace J Reviewerlady · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first foray into this series - and this author's work but, hopefully, not my last!

The League of Pensioners see themselves as modern-day Robin Hoods, 'liberating' cash from the rich in order to provide for the poor. After their last 'job' life became a bit too hot in Stockholm, so they have relocated to the countryside and are finding it a bit dull. However, it doesn't take it long for Martha, their self-styled leader, to find a new project for them to immerse themselves in . . .

This is such fun! I always enjoy a good mystery and this one is just bursting at the seams - such a lot going on! As a newbie to the series, I enjoyed getting to know the characters and have to say that the translation is excellent; it's very readable in English and thoroughly enjoyable. I look forward to trying to fit in the previous novels in this series in future. Very entertaining and one I'm happy to recommend. 4.5*.

[nickiknackinoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story follows Martha and her pensioner friends, nicknamed The League Of Pensioners. They are professional thieves who up to this point have not been caught!! There is a certain policeman Kurt Lowander, who is desperate to catch them and have the fame and promotion that this may give him!. He certainly forces the issue whenever he can, to get more money from the budget to have more officers etc on the job!!
After a successful jewellery operation, they decide to leave where they are currently residing to move to the country, After falling in love with the area, Martha starts planning how they can help this struggling village the only way they know how!!! Meanwhile, Lowander is hot on their tails!!!
An enjoyable read! This is part of a series, but is easy to follow.
Many thanks to Pan MacMillan for the chance to read this arc copy via Netgalley.
#Netgalley, #panmacmillan, #catharinaingelmansundburg.

[Karen Vacaliuc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read any of the other books in this series, but I don't think that mattered too much. It was entertaining but not stellar. The characters weren't as developed as I'd have liked. Martha was annoying, and I think she was meant to be strong minded. But comes across annoying instead. I liked the idea, but if you want a really good book about pensioners, read The Thursday Murder Club. Much better.

[Aidan · Rating 2 out of 5]

No thank you.

[Jennifer Rothwell · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just not my thing. Only read a couple of chapters but was completely disinterested. Moving on!